Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-24

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The graph below gives information about the number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US between 1960 and 2020.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Number of jobs in four sectors of the economy in the US, 1960-2020

Student answer (Band 5.5)

the picture given shows the information about the number of jobs in particular sectors of the economy in the united states in between 1960 and 2020.

in the given graph they have mentioned about four sectors manufacturing,retail,agriculture and healthcare.at starting year the number of jobs in health care sector is very low when compared to other three sectors. in agriculture and retail the number of jobs are same.initially the number of jobs in healthcare,retail and manufacturing is increaing but the number of jobs in agriculture is decreasing.

atlast the the jobs in manufacturing and agriculture is decresed when compared to number of jobs in 1960.the number of jobs in retail and healthcare is increased when compared to number of jobs in 1960.the number of jos in healthcare is increased very much when compared to any other sector.in agriculture the number of jobs is decreased very much when compared to number of jobs in 1960.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify all four sectors and make several relevant comparisons, including healthcare being lowest at the start and rising substantially, while agriculture declines. You also correctly note that manufacturing and agriculture finish below their 1960 levels, whereas retail and healthcare finish above them. However, the account is only partly developed: it gives almost no figures and does not clearly describe the key turning points, such as manufacturing peaking at about 20 million in 1980 before falling, or retail rising steadily to around 16 million. The statement that manufacturing initially increases is accurate, but the overall trends need clearer, more precise reporting. Add an overview of the main contrasts and support it with selected values.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a basic sequence: it introduces the chart, describes the starting situation and early trends, then compares the final figures with 1960. This gives the reader a generally understandable route through the information. However, the ideas are compressed into two long, loosely connected paragraphs, and the progression between individual sectors is not always clear. Repeated phrasing such as “the number of jobs” and repeated comparisons with 1960 make the account feel circular. Some linking expressions, including “atlast,” do not clearly signal the relationship between the points. Organise the body into clearer comparisons—for example, rising sectors together and declining sectors together—and use references such as “this figure” or “by 2020” to reduce repetition.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “sectors,” “manufacturing,” “agriculture,” and “increased” and “decreased,” so the basic meaning is usually clear. However, the range is limited and several phrases are repeated, particularly “the number of jobs.” Some word combinations are unnatural, such as “at starting year” and “in between 1960 and 2020,” while spelling errors such as “increaing,” “decresed,” and “jos” reduce accuracy. Capitalisation of “United States” and sector names also needs attention. Use more precise trend language and vary the nouns and verbs, while checking spelling and standard collocations before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

Most sentences use simple structures, and the reader can generally understand the comparisons being made. There is an attempt to combine ideas, for example in “Initially … is increasing but … is decreasing,” but control of verb forms and sentence construction is inconsistent. The response shifts between present and past forms when describing historical data, and agreement is often inaccurate: “the number of jobs … are same” and “the jobs … is decreased” should use singular agreement and appropriate past-tense forms. Missing articles and punctuation also affect clarity, and the final section contains a run-on sequence of comparisons. Practise accurate past-tense reporting and build a few controlled complex sentences using “while,” “whereas,” and “by 2020.”

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.